Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Beginning and End (06/04/26)
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TITLE: Putting Jesus Fiear | Previous Challenge Entry
By Ernie Earth
06/05/26 -
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My life began when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. When I was a child, my mother taught me my first prayer.
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray my soul to keep,
GOD bless Mommy, Daddy, Grandma Clark, and Grandpa Clark.
By the time I left the U.S. Army, I woke up and cursed GOD for not killing me during my sleep. I had two friends who tried to kill themselves, but failed, and were living as vegetables in hospital beds for the rest of their lives.
I wanted my life to end, but I was afraid to try to kill myself and fail.
In 1997, I found myself living in a building in Miami Beach, Florida, that was condemned as an unsafe structure. I came home from work, and I saw several people standing in front of my apartment building. As I tried to enter the building, I was asked if I lived in the building. I responded yes and was asked for my room number. I told the lady, and she checked me off her list and said that my building was condemned as an unsafe structure, and I should go to my apartment and get some clothes, and they were going to drive me to a Hotel, where they would check me into a room and pay for one week.
I collected one week's worth of clothes and three versions of the Bible I was reading and comparing. When the weekend came, I spent it trying to find an apartment for a Blind friend who lived in the building.
I had a job buying IDs for homeless people but was told my job would end in 4 weeks. One day I came home from work and found a notice on my door saying that tomorrow there would be a meeting at 9 AM and at 9 PM, for people who had not found a place to live. I had $3,000.00, but my job was ending, and I didn’t know when I would find my next job.
The City of Miami Beach, Florida, offered to rent a bed in the Salvation Army if we needed it. I signed up for a bed, and when the week in the Hotel ran out, I was taken to the Salvation Army. One of the rules in the Salvation Army was that I could not drink alcohol while living there. I had to be home by 10 PM, or I would be locked out until 6 AM the next day. Another rule was I had to see a Social Worker once a week to see if I was making progress on becoming independent and If they could help me become independent.
People were sneaking in bottles of whiskey and selling shots for $1.00 per shot in the TV room. People were getting drunk and fighting over which sports game we would watch. One day, a man pulled his arm back to hit somebody, and almost hit me in the nose, which would have broken my glasses. I needed my glasses to see to work.
I told my Social Worker, I was either going to hit somebody or take a drink. She asked me if I had ever heard of Alcoholics Anonymous. I told her I attended one meeting in Los Angeles, California. They had free coffee and donuts and a lot of pretty women. My Social Worker gave me a 30-day pass to come in at 10:30 PM, so I could attend an AA meeting.
AA taught me there is a GOD and I am not Him. They also taught me that many people needed GOD's help to quit drinking. On July 4, 1997, I bowed my head and asked GOD to help me not drink for 6 months while I was in the homes program.
I planned to tell GOD goodbye after 6 months, and buy a case of beer (36), a case of Jack Daniel's (4-liter bottles), and a bag of marijuana.
After 6 months, my life was better than it had ever been before. I asked GOD if He would take my life and guide me for the rest of my life.
I now start each day thanking GOD for my salvation. Then I thank GOD I am not in prison, telling people about Jesus. Then I ask GOD who I can bless today. I ended up being a friend of Jesus. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
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This should have begun your story: By the time I left the U.S. Army, I woke up and cursed GOD for not killing me during my sleep. I had two friends who tried to kill themselves, but failed, and were living as vegetables in hospital beds for the rest of their lives.
Let the reader experience your emotions through showing not telling as the above paragraph does.